Car-coupling



H. O E E vTL R m GAR COUPLING.

v No. 812,362. Patented Feb. 17, 1885'.

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INVENTOR (No Model.)

J. F. LEEGH.

GAR COUPLING. I .No. 312,362. Patented Feb. 17,1885.

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(E7222 Frederic leech By/u's .fltlurney v I Unrrnn STATE-S nrnnr FFICE.

JOHN FREDERIC LEEGI-I, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,362, dated-February17, 1885. Application filed December 2, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN FREDERIO Lnncn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My car-coupling consists of two similar cylindrical draw-heads and aremovable coupling-bolt. The cylindrical draw-head is suspended from thebottom of the car in the usual way. When the cars come together, the twodraw-heads, which on all rolling stock project somewhat beyond thebuffers, meet and yield to the motion of the cars until thecouplingboltresting in one draw-head is automatically, by concussion andretreat of the draw-head, thrown into place in the other draw-head andthe coupling is done.

My draw-head consists of a cylinder having on top a longitudinal slot ofsuiiicient size for the reception of the enlarged head of thecoupling-bolt, and a smaller slot extending from the edge to below thecenter of the cylinderhead, perpendicular to and communicating with theupper longitudinal slot. In size it corresponds to that of the shank ofthe coup- 1ing-bolt. A section of asphere projects from the center ofthe head-plate on the inside, through which the slot in the head-plateis continued. The draw-head is provided with the usual drainage-opening.The couplingbolt consists of a shank having at each end an enlarged headconcave on the inner side, so as to fit over the hemisphere on theinside of the draw-head, thus forming a ball-andsocket joint. Incoupling, the bolt is dropped by means of a chain attached to one end ofit into the large slot of the draw-head, where it remains in a more orless perpendicular position, one head resting against the bottom of thedraw-head, the other in a pocket provided for it immediately above thedraw-head in the cross-beam of the car-platform.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l isa view in section of the two draw-heads and bolt prior to coupling. Theposition of the pin when coupled is indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 isa top plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of thedraw-heads and bolt in place for coupling. Fig. 4 is a view, partly insection, of the bolt. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the inner side of thehead-plate of the drawhead in detail, and Fig. 6 a view of thereceiving-pocket for the bolt-head.

In the drawings, A A are the car-platforms, 13 B B B the buffers, O Othe drawheads, and D the coupling-bolt. E E are brackets by which thedraw-heads O 0 are suspended from the bottom of the car, and G G thereceiving-pockets for the head (1 of bolt D.

In draw-head G, H is the upper longitudinal slot for receiving the headof bolt'D. I is the head-plate, having the slot J flaring at the top J,where it joins slot H, so as to guide pin D more readily into place. Kis the section of the sphere projecting on theinner side of thehead-plate. L IS the drainage-holeof the draw-head. M is the concaveinner surface of the bolt-heads d (1, which conforms to the periphery ofball K, but does not completely cover the surface of the ball in orderto allow for the play of the bolt.

The pocket G, placed immediately above dra v-head 0, consists of topplate, N, the downward flaring bottom plate, 0, notched at O" to receivethe shank of the bolt and the sides P, which also flare outwardly. Theface ofthe pocket is not perpendicular, but inclined, the'bottomprojecting beyond the top to assist in guiding and retaining andimpelling the bolt into place.

Draw-head O C may be provided with a terminal plate It, or the plate maybe dispensed with, or the cylinder beyond the end of slot H may becontracted to a lesser diameter, to facilitate its casting. Thedraw-head is materially re-enforced at the top on both sides by concaveshoulders S S, which also serve to accurately guide the bolt home. Ialso prefer to make the draw-heads cylindrical,as greater strength isobtained thereby, although it is obvious that they may be varied inshape without departing from the spirit of my invention. The brackets bywhich the drawheads are suspended are preferably made square, as shownin the drawings, which greatly decreases the friction where acylindrical draw-head is used. Pocket Gis also made in one casting. Theshape of the bolt-head which I prefer is that shown in the drawings,being that of a truncated cone with the top rounded off; but theparticular shape of the bolt-head is not essential so long as it isprovided with an inner concave surface such as I have already described,and to act in the manner set forth.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The brakeman having droppedbolt D into place by means of the chain attached thereto, it rests withhead (Z in the drainage-slot L of draw-head O and head d in pocket G,the shank of the bolt being held in notch O at the bottom of the pocket.When the cars come together, the draw-heads O O are the first opposingpoints to meet and retreat beneath the car in the usual manner. Theforward impulse thus given to the top of the bolt by the retreat of thelower end, as well as conveyed to the head resting in the pocket,throwshead d out of pocket G, and, guided by the shoulders S S and the flareof slot J, causes it to fall into slot H of draw-head 0, head d stillremaining in draw-head C". When the train,starts up, the bolt-heads aredrawn up against the ballsK K on the head-plates of the draw-heads andthe coupling is done. To uncouple, the bolt is removed by means of thechain, and is left hanging to the car when not in use.

The advantage of the ball-and socket joint which I thus obtain isobvious. It allows of sufficient play of the bolt while the bearing iskept up over all the surface of the socket and ball whatever the anglegiven the bolt. I am thus enabled to couple cars of different heightswith great facility and security, this point being one of the mostimportant in all couplings.

Instead of spreading the slot, and with it thehead-plate and draw-head,the greater the pull the more firmly the two halves of the headplate arebound together.

The whole device is simple, of easy adjustment, and not liable to getout of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a draw-head having a section of a sphere with abar or bolt having a socket. 1

2. The combination of a draw-head having a section of a sphere, a bar orbolt having a socket, and a pocket placed immediately above thedraw-head, for keeping the bolt in position preparatory for coupling. 3.A drawhead having a perpendicular slot in the head-plate for theadmission of a bar or bolt, a section of a sphere upon such headplate,and a bolt having a socket to fit such section of a sphere.

4t. Adraw-head having alongitudinal slot on top and a perpendicular slotin the head-plate for the admission ofa bar or bolt, and a hemisphericalprojection on the head-plate, subset forth. I

5. A coupling-bolt consisting of heads concave on the inside where theyare connected by a shank.

6. The pocket for receiving the bolt,having the flaring sides andbottom, a top plate, a notch in the bottom plate, and an inclined face,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

7. The combination of the cylindrical drawhead having slots for theadmission and retention of the bolt, the head-plate, the section of asphere on the head-plate, the socket in the bolt, and the pocket,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

8. The combination of the car-body, the eylind rical draw-head, and thesquare braces for supporting the draw-head, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN FREDERIG LEEGH.

\Vituesses:

' WooDBURY LOWRY, M. P. CALLAN.

stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore

